Eiser, Kirk Named Juniata College Athletes of the Month

(Posted February 18, 2004)

Huntingdon, Pa. - Sophomore Kristen Kirk (Newport/Newport) a member of the Juniata College women's basketball team, and Kenny Eiser (Central Bucks West/Doylestown) a senior middle hitter for the Eagles men's volleyball team have been named the Juniata College "athletes of the month" for January.

Kirk was an integral part of the Juniata women's basketball squad for the month of January. In the 12 games she competed in, she scored in double digits in 11 of those outings. She led the team in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game and posted a field goal percentage of .413 for the month. Kirk also averaged 3.9 rebounds per game while adding two assists and 2.1 steals per game. She led the Eagles to their first victory in the conference this season against Susquehanna when scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

For the season, Kirk is leading Juniata in points and in three point field goal percentage. She is averaging 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She is currently ranked third in the Commonwealth Conference in scoring, fifth in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.331), and 12th in the conference in field goal percentage (.403). Kirk scored a career high 29 points and dished out five assists against Moravian in early February.

With one game left in the season the Eagle women's Basketball team held a record of 5-18 and was 2-11 in the Commonwealth Conference. Juniata will close its season on Saturday night at home against Lebanon Valley.

Eiser returned to the Juniata attack as a middle hitter for his senior season on the Eagle squad after playing a number of positions his junior season. He got off to a fast start as he averaged 3.25 kills per game with an attack percentage of .483 in January. He tabbed 52 total kills with only 10 errors on 87 attempts for the month. Eiser also tallied 11 blocks in the four matches he competed in. Eiser started the season quickly, pounding out 17 kills in his first match of the season against Division I Ohio State. He was in double figures in kills in all four matches in the month of January as well. After tabbing 17 kills with one error on 24 attempts, good for a .667 hitting percentage, in the first match of the season, Eiser was named to AVCA/Sports Imports Player of the Week, while also being named EIVA Player of the Week.

For the year, Eiser is first on the team with 104 kills and sports an average of 3.47 kills per game. He has added 28 digs, 35 blocks and 4 aces on the year as well with a .472 attack percentage. In the eight matches he has competed in, he has had seven matches in which he has knocked out 10 or more kills. He has registered 17 kills on two occasions this season, the second being Juniata's most recent win over Springfield College, the top ranked team in Division III.

With Eiser providing the spark, Juniata has started the season 5-3 and is ranked number two in the Division III American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. The Eagles have held the second spot in the poll for five consecutive weeks.

The Juniata College "Athlete of the Month" award is sponsored by McDonald's of Huntingdon and Mount Union. Barb and John Eastman, who own and operate the local McDonald's restaurants, provide the winners with plaques.